Study abroad can be more affordable than you might expect, particularly when you plan early and consider all available sources of funding. Start by understanding the full cost of your program, including tuition and housing, everyday expenses, and airfare, and compare those costs with what you would normally spend during the same period at home.
Scholarships, grants, financial aid, and other funding sources can all help make study abroad possible. SRAS offers several funding opportunities of its own and maintains the resources below to help you identify additional options. Your university’s study abroad office, academic department, and financial aid office can also be important sources of funding and guidance.
Study abroad budgets can generally be broken down into three parts.
Program fees generally include instruction, housing, medical and emergency insurance, and many program activities and excursions. Check individual program pages for current pricing and details about what is included.
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Everyday expenses vary by location and lifestyle. Our location-specific budget guides provide estimates for food, local transportation, communication, entertainment, and other personal expenses.
Airfare varies considerably by destination, departure city, season, and booking date. Compare flight options early, but wait for SRAS travel guidance before purchasing your ticket.
Funding sources for study abroad are numerous and diverse. Here’s three pieces of advice when considering them:
Don’t rule yourself out before applying. Scholarship eligibility and competitiveness vary widely, and students often overlook opportunities because they assume they will not qualify. Pay close attention to eligibility requirements and apply broadly when you are a good fit.
Federal financial aid may be applicable to approved study abroad programs. Talk with your university’s study abroad and financial aid offices early to determine whether your existing aid can be applied to an SRAS program and what procedures are required.
Scholarships and financial aid often have deadlines well before a program begins. Starting early gives you time to identify multiple funding sources, complete stronger applications, and coordinate with your university when approval or financial aid paperwork is required.
SRAS offers funding opportunities that can be applied to our programs:
SRAS offers several types of program grants, including matching grants, alumni grants, military grants, and other funding opportunities.
Build your resume while funding your online or study abroad goals!
Current students and alumni may earn funding through approved writing, media, presentations, and other outreach activities.
The following opportunities are generally applicable to SRAS programs. Note that some (but not all) may require you to be enrolled in a program supported by an American university. Contact SRAS for details.
is an site that helps match organizations and individuals to grant opportunities. See their search map of locations here.
supports the study of Polish and Poland as well as bolsters Polish-American relations through a variety of scholarships, grants, and exchange programs.
is a Ukrainian-American scholarly institution that supports the study of Ukraine and Ukrainian.
provide funding for US students to study less commonly taught languages in world regions critical to U.S. interests. The Boren committee prefers applications for 6-12 months of study, so a summer plus one or two semesters will be optimal. Note as well that applications should focus on how your study abroad will assist you in your professional career (leave discussion of your personal life out or to a minimum). Make sure that your letters of recommendation come from nearly all academic sources (one may be from a supervisor).
provides academic year and summer fellowships to institutions of higher education to assist meritorious undergraduate and graduate students of foreign languages and related area or international studies. Check with your foreign language department to see if your school is participating.
awards several types of grants to applicants who hold a BA, MA, or the equivalent of those degrees (but not a Ph.D.).
are add-ons to Fulbright grants to assist recepients in learning critical languages in certain countries.
is an international nonprofit organization that provides funding for certain projects in Eurasia.
offers grants for US citizen undergraduates who are receiving federal Pell Grant funding at 2-year or 4-year colleges or universities.
provides up to $22,000 for doctoral students at US universities who are American citizens or permanent residents to conduct their dissertation research in Russia on topics within the scope of 19th – early 21st century Russian historical studies.
provides funds for study abroad in critical languages for contracted or non-contracted Army ROTC, Air Force ROTC, Naval ROTC students on track to commission through ROTC from any university or college in the United States.
can be used for study abroad if approved. To verify program eligibility and next steps to access your benefits, please consult your campus Veteran Services and/or Study Abroad office.
provides awards of $5,000 for child dependents of active duty service members to study or intern abroad on credit-bearing programs.
encourage research, writing, and other activities relating to the history and memory of Russian artist Kazimir Malevich.
encourage research, writing, and other activities relating to the history and works of Russian-American writer Vladimir Nabokov.
gives away $2000 to financially literate students enrolled in US institutions.
supports several awards in their field.
makes several awards between $500 and $2500 annually.
gives scholarships to individuals from groups underrepresented in study abroad and those destined for non-traditional locations.
program was designed to provide a scholarship plus non-monetary supports for the challenges many students face while pursuing a degree.
offers $500 scholarships to women of color who have been accepted to an in-person study abroad program.
awards $1000 for American students enrolled full-time as an undergraduate student in good academic standing at a four-year, degree-granting college or university in the US.
grant is $1000. Any student of a university with a Phi Kappa Phi chapter is eligible (you needn’t be a member of the fraternity to apply).
is run by the National Science Foundation and offers funds for international research and study to students in science and engineering fields.
offer several $30,000 awards to recent college grads – nominated through a Watson partner college – to spend a year perusing independent, purposeful travel in international settings new to them.
are available to Junior-year undergraduates and those applying to Master’s programs.
can be used to sponsor university students studying any subject, either locally or abroad.
provides up to $16,000 in upfront tuition assistance to students who commit to becoming foreign language teachers.
including Pell Grants, Perkins Loans, PLUS Loans, the GI Bill, and Stafford Loans can be used to study abroad if through a program approved by your university.
The IEFA is a database of financial aid sources for study abroad, including loans from private companies.
Program provides recipients with an award of $1,500 per academic year, renewable to up to $6,000 per recipient. This can be used for study abroad if the applicant plans to become a language teacher of a critical language and is participating in a program approved by and supported by their home US institution.
Crowdfunding can supplement scholarships, financial aid, and personal savings, particularly when students clearly explain their academic goals and how funds will be used. If you choose to use a crowdfunding platform, review its fees, policies, and withdrawal requirements before creating a campaign.
These scholarships can be applied to specific programs offered by organizations other than SRAS. There are many other programs designed to study and explore in this part of the world. We encourage you to consider all of your options.
offers a few awards for PhD holders. Title VIII Grants give up to $40,000 for humanities and social sciences research projects in or on any country of Eurasia or East-Central Europe. The primary scholar for the project must be a US citizen and hold a PhD degree. Short term travel awards are also available for those looking to research abroad.
are available for Research and Training on Eastern Europe and Eurasia with: CESSI; Indiana University; American Councils for International Education; Woodrow Wilson/Kennan Institute; University of Illinois; Arizona State University’s CLI; Middle East Institute.
offer fully-funded summer language institutes for US university students.
offers funding for high school students aged 15-18 to study abroad in Estonia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, and other locations.
offer limited places for Americans for full tuition, housing allowance, monthly stipend, and paid insurance.
in Kazakhstan offers a range of assistance for their programs.
can be used for to obtain a degree at approved institutions abroad. Preparatory language studies, if needed for entry into degree studies, are not eligible for coverage with the GI Bill.
award up to three scholarships for eligible applicants to learn Armenian in Yerevan.
award up to three scholarships to eligible students to learn Persian in Armenia.
are given by the Armenian Communities Department of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation to qualified students, academics and researchers in Armenian Studies to participate in activities related to their field of studies, encouraging academic interaction and exchange of knowledge and ideas. The maximum grant amount will be based on proposals received, but shall not exceed 5,000 USD.
Funding opportunities change frequently, so always confirm current eligibility, deadlines, award amounts, and application requirements directly with the funding organization. Be cautious of scholarship or loan offers that require unusual fees, request sensitive financial information without appropriate safeguards, or do not clearly identify the organization providing the funds.
We’ve been doing this for 30+ years and we’re happy to help. Contact us or join an info session to get answers.
